Themes

Loneliness

One of the themes explored in the short story “The Outsider” by H.P. Lovecraft is the theme of loneliness. The theme is suggested from the title, which hints that the narrative is going to be about a lonely character, who cannot connect with those around him. This is confirmed in the story, as the narrator is bound to an eternity of loneliness because of his supernatural condition. 

The theme of loneliness is illustrated by the narrator’s account of his life. He lives alone in a dark castle, and his only companions are the “noiseless rats and bats and spiders”. He does not remember interacting with another person and he has never tried to speak. The narrator’s only connection with the outside world is through books. 

The story’s ending shows that the narrator is even lonelier than before, as he un...